A recent study by Consumer Reports has revealed that Tesla vehicles are the most cost-effective to maintain and repair. Elon Musk even took to X to highlight that Tesla is leading in terms of being “the lowest car to maintain”.
Based on data collected from thousands of car owners in the U.S., the study indicates that Teslas have an average maintenance and repair cost of $580 over the first five years of ownership. This cost rises to $3,455 from years six to ten, resulting in a total of $4,035 for the first decade of ownership — the lowest among all vehicles examined. It is interesting to note that the average duration of car ownership in the U.S. is around 8 years.
Following closely behind Tesla are Buick and Toyota, both with costs of $4,900, while Lincoln and Ford rank in the top 5 with $5,040 and $5,400 respectively for maintenance and repair expenses over a 10-year period.
On the other hand, German luxury automakers BMW, Audi, and Mercedes-Benz are among the most expensive on the list, with 10-year costs reaching $9,500, $9,890, and $10,525 respectively. The highest average cost belongs to Porsche at $14,090, followed by Land Rover at $19,250.
Car Maintenance
Traditional vehicles with internal combustion engines (ICE) necessitate more maintenance, including oil changes, drive belt replacements, transmission oil changes, and coolant flushes. Additionally, ICE cars have more moving parts, leading to decreased reliability and potential repair issues such as transmission problems, clogged fuel filters, faulty spark plugs, and more.
Electric vehicles, on the other hand, have fewer moving parts, resulting in lower maintenance requirements. They also benefit from regenerative braking, which extends the lifespan of brake pads, sometimes reaching over 100,000 miles. This reduces wear on brake components and minimizes brake dust accumulation on wheels.
“EVs are more cost-effective to maintain, service, and care for,” affirms Matt Cleevely of Cleevely Motors in an interview with Wired. He notes that EVs have half as many moving parts and do not require regular oil changes.
Tesla recommends that Model 3 owners replace the cabin air filter and HEPA filter every three years, check brake fluid every two years, and clean and lubricate the brake calipers annually or after 12,500 miles in regions where roads are salted during winter.
Gas Savings
Aside from maintenance savings, electric vehicles offer substantial cost savings in terms of fuel expenses. Tesla emphasizes the gas savings of their vehicles, with the Model Y estimated to save $6,000 in gas costs over the initial five years of ownership in the U.S. These savings may be even higher in regions where fuel prices are elevated. Taking these savings into consideration, the starting price of the world’s top-selling vehicle in 2023 is $29,490 after factoring in gas savings and the U.S. federal tax credit — and this is before including maintenance costs and time savings.